DIY - HOW TO COLOUR HAIR

Work the colourant into your hair, not your scalp. To touch up permanent colour, just apply to roots.



What most hairdressers probably won't tell you is that home and salon colourants are virtually identical, so what you're paying for at a salon is both ease and experience.

What can I use?
The array of products on the home-colouring shelves is baffling at best, so here's a simple guide to what's on offer.

Up to 20% grey
A semi-permanent colour similar to your natural shade will blend a few grey hairs in with the rest. These contains no chemicals, so coat rather than penetrate your hair. They last between six and eight shampoos, but longer if your hair is 'porous' (damaged). That's because when hair is damaged the cuticle's not flat against the shaft, allowing more colour to get inside.

Up to 50% grey
Time to set up to longer-lasting semi-permanent (once called demi-permanent), which contains a small amount of hydrogen peroxide, but no ammonia. This penetrates a little but not as much as a permanent, giving results that last up to 24 washes.

Over 80% grey
The only way to replace this much colour is with permanent dye, which will penetrate the hair shaft. If in doubt, choose a lighter rather than darker shade, which will be easier to remedy should you dislike the result.

Troubleshooting tips

• If you're not sure about what to use, phone one of the advisory services (find the number on most colourant boxes). Trained stuff can answer questions on any make of colour and they'll even do a strand test if you send them a cutting of your hair.
• Always do a skin test each time you colour your hair (follow instructions in the pack). And wait 48 hours before you go ahead (this time it takes between contact with the allergen and any potential reaction), to allow any sensitivity to show up. If you do react, don't use the colour or any other product. Instead, call the company helpline (on the box) for advice. This may involve diagnostic patch testing by a dermatologist to confirm the cause of your reaction. You can then avoid it in future by checking ingredients on the box before buying.
• The ingredients most commonly associated with allergic reactions is the hair dye paraphenylene diamine (PPD), and unfortunately this is present in all permanent hair colours. Allergies can be serious enough to warrant medical attention (and occasionally even fatal). Once you've been diagnosed, a temporary, wash-out colour or high- or lowlights are your only options.
• If you're allergic (or sensitive) to another chemical in traditional hair dyes, you can try one of the new herbal-based permanent hair colours. By adding plant-based ingredients, including anti-inflammatories, and removing paraben preservatives and resorcinol, these formulations minimize the likelihood of chemical problems such as scalp sensitivity.
• Less important for your health, but vital for your hair, is a strand test. Do this at the same time as your skin test and you'll only have to mix the ingredients once. Not only will you discover the final colour result (keep an eye on the time so you know exactly how long to leave it on), but also how the colourant will affect the condition of your hair.
• If you're unhappy with a semi-permanent results, frequent washing with an anti-dandruff or 'clarifying' shampoo will fade it faster. Never try to rectify a permanent colour mistake yourself, or you will make matters worse. Instead, swallow your pride, cover your hair with a hat and go to a salon for professional advice. And don't worry: they've seen it all before - and worse!

At-home colouring techniques

• Take off any rings that could tear the plastics gloves, wear old clothes and even older towel around your shoulders, and if you're using a permanent colour splatter-proof your bathroom, too.
• Wipe the skin around your hairline (and ears) with petroleum jelly to avoid staining, and use an alarm clock to ensure your timing is exact (most home-colouring disasters are caused by leaving it on too long).
• Work the colourant into your hair, not your scalp. And, for touch-up applications of permanent colour, just apply to your roots or you'll suffer stripes where your hair has become overloaded. Then just work it through the rest of your hair for a few minutes at the end.
• A few grey hairs around your hairline? Mascara in a shade close to your own, applied from root tip, will do a great job of disguising them until your next colouring session.

How soon you go grey depends on your genes, but many of us are now going grey sooner, due partly to our stressful lives. An unlucky few may spot their first grey hair at 20, and 50% of women will be grey by the age of 50. But look on colouring as a chance to improve on nature, and suddenly those first grey hairs won't seem so bad after all.

According to Steven Goldsworthy, skin tone changes as we age and our hair starts to turn grey. This means that if you try to keep the hair colour you had at 20, chances are you will end up looking sallow-skinned, plus darker hair also emphasizes lines, making your skin look older.

Steven recommends lifting your hair a couple of shades lighter. The best way to do this while hiding the first signs of grey is with highlights or lowlights, which can work like a mini facelift. For best results these need to be done professionally, but if salon prices are out of range ask your hairdresser about trainee nights, where a fully qualified stylist will oversee your colour every step of the way. All trainee hairdressers need to practise on real people, and are never let loose on anyone until they know what they are doing.

Your other option is an overall colour, which will give your hair more shine than high- or lowlights. Paul Matthews advises using semi-permanent colourants, which are a great way to colour your whole head without that unnatural 'block' effect you can get with permanent dyes. In fact, Paul advises avoiding permanent colourants for as long as you can get away with it (until you are 80% grey and upwards), as they contain more chemicals and you are also stuck with the result. Warm semi-permanent shades will give your hair a shiny, youthful glow and can last between 6 and 24 shampoos (read the box), covering 40%-50% grey.

Remember, if you have to mix two bottles together (or twist a bottle to mix its two compartments), then chemicals are involved and the colour inside is either a long-lasting semi-permanent (up to 24 washes) or permanent. And, while older women look best with hair a couple of shades lighter than their natural colour, very light blonde hair is also ageing as it washes out skin tone (and also does not cover grey well). So if you have been using bleach until now, consider swapping to a honey-blonde tone, which will be far more flattering.

And think twice before deciding to grow grey gracefully as grey hair can drain your face, plus it absorbs the light, making hair look dull. Unfortunately, women who look good with grey hair tend to be the ones who would look good whatever their hair colour!Your skin tone will also determine if you should stick with what nature intended. Either dark or pale complexions look best with grey hair, with sallow skins and redheads rarely finding silver hair flattering. If you do decide to go grey, more colourful make-up is essential to avoid looking washed out, and if your grey starts turning yellow, use a purple- or blue-based shampoo or conditioner to neutralize the tone.

Warm semi-permanent shades will give your hair a shiny, youthful glow and can last between 6 and 24 shampoos (read the box), covering 40-50% grey.